Red Dead Redemption 2

The Intel Core i5-12400F and AMD Radeon RX 9060 combination in Red Dead Redemption 2 presents a clear trade-off between visual fidelity and frame rate. The measured data shows that the High preset at 1080p delivers 64 FPS average, which is a playable baseline, but the Medium preset at the same resolution pushes that to 76 FPS with a minimum of 65 FPS. That minimum is the key indicator for smoothness, suggesting that Medium is the safest default for consistent performance. At 1440p, High dips to 48 FPS, while Medium holds at 57 FPS with a 48 FPS minimum. The data indicates that Medium is the sweet spot across both 1080p and 1440p, balancing the visual jump from Low (102 FPS at 1080p, 76 FPS at 1440p) against the more demanding but less stable High and Ultra presets. For 4K, the situation changes drastically: Medium produces 38 FPS, which is borderline, but High drops to 31 FPS, making Low (50 FPS) the only preset that consistently clears playability thresholds. The recommendation is to use Medium for 1080p and 1440p, and to step down to Low for 4K if the target is fluid motion over maximum detail.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the Alder Lake-S generation, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. Its L3 cache is 18 MB shared, and it supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, though the memory bus is dual-channel. In this game, the CPU's role is primarily to feed the GPU with enough data to keep frames moving, and the benchmark results suggest it does not bottleneck the RX 9060 at lower resolutions. The data shows that at 1080p with Low settings, the combo hits 102 FPS, which is a high enough figure to indicate that the CPU can handle the game's simulation and AI workloads when the GPU is not overburdened. The Cinebench R23 multicore score of 12380 and the 3DMark max threads score of 5912 reflect a processor that has solid multi-threaded capability for a mid-range desktop chip. The PassMark multithread score of 19433 further supports this, placing the CPU in the 73rd percentile of all CPUs.

However, the CPU's single-thread performance is also relevant. The Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1680 and the 3DMark single-thread score of 909 show that it has decent per-core strength, which matters for games like Red Dead Redemption 2 that often rely on a few heavily loaded threads. The nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score include the AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS (19047, 0% delta) and the Intel Core i5-1335U (18982, 0.3% delta), which are close in overall compute, but the i5-12400F’s desktop-oriented power envelope (65W TDP) likely allows it to sustain higher clocks in longer gaming sessions. The fact that the 4K High preset only yields 31 FPS while 1080p Low yields 102 FPS suggests that the CPU is not the primary limiter as resolution increases; the GPU takes over that role. The data implies that the i5-12400F provides enough headroom that the GPU becomes the deciding factor in frame rates, especially at 1440p and above.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 9060 is built on the RDNA 4.0 architecture with the Navi 44 chip, manufactured on a 4nm process. It features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 288.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU has a base clock of 1700 MHz, a game clock of 2400 MHz, and a boost clock of 2990 MHz. In terms of raw compute, it offers 21.43 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, which places it in the 59th percentile of all GPUs. The benchmark scores show a PassMark G3D score of 17631, which is close to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti (16129, -0.7% delta) and the AMD Radeon RX 7700 (15852, 1% delta). This suggests the RX 9060 is positioned as a strong 1080p and entry-level 1440p card, but its 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory bus are modest for higher resolutions.

The measured FPS data confirms this role. At 1080p, the GPU can push 102 FPS on Low and 64 FPS on High, indicating that it thrives when the pixel count is manageable. At 4K, the performance collapses: even on Low, the average is 50 FPS, and on Ultra it drops to 23 FPS. The 4K Medium preset shows a minimum of 32 FPS and a maximum of 43 FPS, which is inconsistent. This pattern strongly suggests that the GPU's memory bandwidth and capacity are the limiting factors at 4K, not the core compute. The 288.0 GB/s bandwidth is relatively narrow for 4K textures, and 8 GB of VRAM can be saturated by the game's high-detail assets. The data implies that the RX 9060 is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it can maintain smooth frame rates, but it lacks the memory subsystem to handle 4K without significant compromises. The GPU's boost clock of 2990 MHz is high, but it cannot compensate for the bandwidth bottleneck seen in the 4K results.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i5-12400F and AMD Radeon RX 9060 ranks 1673 out of 2902 combos for Red Dead Redemption 2. That places it in the lower-middle range of all tested systems, which is a notable finding given the individual components' percentiles. The CPU is in the 73rd percentile of all CPUs, and the GPU is in the 59th percentile, so one might expect a higher overall ranking. The data indicates that the game's performance is heavily weighted toward GPU capability, and the RX 9060's 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit bus hold the combo back relative to other pairings that might use higher-tier graphics cards. The rank of 1673 out of 2902 suggests that roughly 57% of tested combos outperform this one in this specific title.

This ranking is not surprising when examining the measured FPS. At 1080p Medium, the combo achieves 76 FPS, which is solid, but many other combos with more powerful GPUs will exceed that. The fact that the combo falls below the median is a direct consequence of the GPU's limitations at higher settings. The nearest GPU rivals, such as the RTX 3060 Ti, score similarly in synthetic benchmarks, but in a real-world game, the difference in memory bandwidth can be more pronounced. The data shows that this combo is capable, but it is not a top-tier performer in Red Dead Redemption 2. The ranking implies that users with this setup should expect to tune settings down at higher resolutions to match the performance of other mid-range combos. The gap between the CPU's strong relative performance and the GPU's weaker relative standing is the defining characteristic of this pairing.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is dramatic and reveals the limiting component. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 102 FPS. At 1440p Low, it drops to 76 FPS, a 25% reduction. At 4K Low, it falls to 50 FPS, another 34% reduction from 1440p. This scaling pattern is typical of a GPU-bound scenario, where the CPU has enough headroom to feed frames, but the GPU cannot keep up with the increasing pixel count. The same trend appears on Medium settings: 76 FPS at 1080p, 57 FPS at 1440p (a 25% drop), and 38 FPS at 4K (a 33% drop). The consistency of these percentage drops across settings indicates that the GPU is the primary bottleneck as resolution increases.

The data also suggests that the CPU is not a significant factor in this scaling. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect the FPS to remain relatively flat across resolutions, since the CPU workload does not change much with resolution. Instead, the FPS decreases proportionally with the number of pixels, which points directly to the GPU's fillrate and memory bandwidth. At 4K, the GPU is simply overwhelmed, as evidenced by the 23 FPS on Ultra. The 4K Medium preset's minimum of 32 FPS is particularly telling, as it shows that the GPU cannot maintain a stable frame time at that resolution. For users aiming for 4K, the only viable option is Low settings, which yields 50 FPS, but even that is below the 60 FPS threshold. The resolution scaling analysis makes it clear that this combo is designed for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with 4K being an unrealistic target for high-detail play.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of performance across resolutions and settings.

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its best results. On Low settings, the average FPS is 102, which is excellent for fast-paced action. Medium settings yield 76 FPS average, with a minimum of 65 FPS and a maximum of 88 FPS, indicating a stable experience. High settings bring the average down to 64 FPS, which is still playable but leaves less headroom for demanding scenes. Ultra settings drop the average to 46 FPS, which is borderline and likely to feel stuttery in crowded areas. The data suggests that Medium is the optimal balance at 1080p, offering a 12 FPS improvement over High while maintaining a higher minimum.

At 2560x1440, the performance scales down predictably. Low settings produce 76 FPS average, which is still smooth. Medium settings average 57 FPS, with a minimum of 48 FPS and a maximum of 66 FPS, making it playable but less consistent than at 1080p. High settings fall to 48 FPS, which is at the edge of playability for some users. Ultra settings drop to 34 FPS, which is not recommended for anything but screenshots. The 1440p Medium preset is the best choice here, as it keeps the average above 55 FPS and the minimum close to 50 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the combo struggles. Low settings yield 50 FPS average, which is the only preset that approaches playability. Medium settings average 38 FPS, with a minimum of 32 FPS and a maximum of 43 FPS, indicating significant frame time variance. High settings drop to 31 FPS, and Ultra falls to 23 FPS. The 4K data shows that this GPU cannot handle the resolution without severe compromises. Even on Low, the 50 FPS average is not smooth enough for a game that often has sudden action sequences. The measured breakdown clearly indicates that 4K is not a viable option for this combo, and users should stick to 1440p or lower for a satisfying experience.

FAQ

Q: What is the best settings preset for this combo at 1080p?

A: The Medium preset is the best choice, delivering 76 FPS average with a 65 FPS minimum. It offers a significant improvement over High (64 FPS) and is much smoother than Ultra (46 FPS).

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming in Red Dead Redemption 2?

A: No, the data shows it cannot maintain playable frame rates at 4K. Even on Low settings, the average is 50 FPS, and Medium drops to 38 FPS with a 32 FPS minimum. Ultra is unplayable at 23 FPS.

Q: Which component is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor. The FPS drops from 102 at 1080p Low to 50 at 4K Low, a 51% reduction, while the CPU workload remains similar. The GPU's 8 GB VRAM and 288.0 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient for 4K.

Q: How does this combo rank against other tested systems?

A: It ranks 1673 out of 2902 combos for this game, placing it in the lower-middle range. This is below what the CPU's 73rd percentile might suggest, due to the GPU's 59th percentile standing.

Q: What is the highest playable settings preset at 1440p?

A: The Medium preset is the highest playable option, with 57 FPS average and a 48 FPS minimum. High drops to 48 FPS, which is less consistent, and Ultra is too demanding at 34 FPS.

Q: Is the CPU holding back the GPU in this game?

A: No, the data indicates the CPU is not the bottleneck. The 6-core, 12-thread i5-12400F provides enough performance to push over 100 FPS at 1080p Low, and the performance decline with resolution scaling aligns with GPU limitations.